And after all that focus and energy, the Lakers were still left beaten and lying at death's door.

The two-time defending NBA champion Lakers caved down the stretch again and fell down, 3-0, after losing Friday night to the Dallas Mavericks, 98-92.

No team in NBA history has ever come back to win a playoff series after going down, 3-0.

In the final 5:08 of this game, the Mavericks outscored the Lakers, 20-7.

The Lakers came in with their dynastic run of NBA championship in grave peril after losing the first two games of this second-round series at home. They recaptured the composure they've so often showed in road games in recent seasons Friday night and controlled the game most of the night.

But whether it was fatigue or panic, the Lakers could not match Dallas with the game on the line -- leaving Jackson, the most heralded coach in NBA history, one loss away from retirement.

Jackson on two separate occasions pounded inconsistent All-Star Pau Gasol in the chest while berating him entering timeouts, and Gasol staggered his way to 12 points. Dirk Nowitzki countered with 32 points for Dallas, and Jason Terry came alive off the bench with 23 points. Bynum had 21 points and 10 rebounds but was forgotten down the stretch. Bryant had 17 points and six assists, but his best moments came right before crunchtime.

Derek Fisher hit a driving banker after Nowitzki's free throws gave Dallas an 88-87 lead. But Jason Kidd set up Terry for a corner 3-pointer. Lamar Odom answered with a drive over Peja Stojakovic, which Bryant wanted to see from him moments earlier. But Nowitzki scored again for a 93-91 lead.

Then Odom missed way short on another attempt and after a Dallas offensive rebound, the Lakers really fell apart.

Fisher, the Lakers' leader in so many ways, crashed into Terry with 18.7 seconds left for an ill-advised foul on the perimeter -- not unlike Gasol's on Nowitzki to turn Game 1 at the end. Then facing a four-point deficit, Fisher's inbounds pass for Odom went off his fingers and out of bounds.

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